Accepting his Mark
by siriusxremus22
Summary: Ace has a mission. Kill the old man, and do what his father could not. So why was he not trying? And why couldn't he resist the fire? Warning: Yaoi male x male AcexMarco Disclaimer: Don't own anything but the plot of this single story. How I wished I owned more.
1. Chapter 1

Ace hit the ground, face first, his tired limbs not willing to support his body. He'd seen Jimbei fall first, so he figured that meant he'd won. The fight had lasted for days. He was tired, and all he wanted to do was close his eyes and fall asleep. A big voice booming over him stopped him though. "Who was the man who wanted my head?" the voice asked.

Ace forced his body to move, and threw up a fire wall to protect his crew, "Run guys. I'll take care of this!" he said. He couldn't see if they were listening, but he hoped they would. He was tired, but he wouldn't give up. He had something to prove. He attacked. Whitebeard sent him flying into the ground. It started. He attacked, and attacked, and was knocked down each time. He growled, and got back up. He wasn't making even a scratch on the huge man. He attacked again, and was knocked back, but this time his narcolepsy sent him into darkness. He couldn't see the light in Whitebeard's eyes as the old man carried him to his ship. He didn't see his crew come back for him, and get rounded up for their troubles. He just slept on.

When he woke up he was in a small wooden room, and the world was rocking. He recognized that it wasn't his ship. He quickly got up and crept out of the room, following the corridor out onto the deck of the ship. The sun was bright, blinding him. "Tch." he groused. He was on the Moby Dick. He crouched down and leaned against the wall. He fell back onto his butt when a blonde pompadour appeared before his eyes, quickly followed by a face that he could by no means call handsome, but wouldn't go as far as to call ugly. "What the fuck?" he bit out as the man laughed out.

"Hiya kiddo! My name's Thatch. I thought that since we'll soon be nakama, we should be friends!" he said. He hopped up onto a wooden crate, his white chef's uniform gleaming in the evening sun. "I'm the commander of the 4th division of the Whitebeard Pirates!" he said grinning, and extending his hand to Ace.

Ace snarled, and batted the hand away from him, pressing closer to the wall. His face was twisted into a snarl. He didn't need friends on this ship. He just needed to kill Whitebeard. Thatch just laughed at him and shrugged. Ace heard him say something that sounded suspiciously like, 'He'll come around.' Ace watched him go and didn't relax until he was out of sight. He buried his head in his arms and sighed. He was hungry, he could hold out he decided. He didn't need their food. He found himself wondering about his crew. He wondered if they had gotten away. He hoped so, seeing as it had been him who had drug them into this mess.

He waited until the sun went down, and snuck into Whitebeard's room. He pulled his knife out and leapt at the sleeping man. Suddenly Whitebeard's eyes snapped open, and Ace found himself flying through the wall of Whitebeard's room, and hitting the wall of the ship, splintering the wood. Ace sat up, and rubbed his back and reached for his knife, only for a pale hand to grab it before he could. He looked up and came face to face with an incredibly sleepy looking blonde. Ace swallowed. He would definitely classify this man as beautiful. Suddenly the blonde looked away from him, and glanced at the other men on the deck. The men quickly left leaving only Ace and the blonde together on deck. Ace glanced around extremely aware that everyone else was suddenly in the bowels of the ship. The blonde turned back to him, and motioned for him to follow him. Ace hesitated, but he wanted his knife back, so he followed the man up the rigging and into the crow's nest.

The man hoisted himself into the bucket like structure, and Ace hesitated again, before joining him in it. He sat down and looked at the sleepy looking blonde who was looking at him. The man was twisting Ace's knife around and around in his hands, his half lidded eyes never leaving him as Ace glared back. "That was cowardly yoi." he said, his hands stilling on the blade.

Ace bristled, "Who are you to say that?!" he hissed out. He didn't know who this man was, but the other men seemed to listen to him. It irritated Ace that he thought to lecture him, but more than that, he was ashamed because he knew the man was right. He really hoped that the blush he was positive was on his face, was actually in his imagination.

The blonde handed him his knife back, "I'm Marco, first division commander yoi." he said. Marco looked at the blushing male in front of him. He hadn't decided if he was a man or a boy. Marco was pretty sure that he was at least 17, but the kid's freckles made him look younger. He watched as Ace processed the information even as he took his knife back. He wouldn't have noticed Ace's flinch as he grabbed the knife, if he hadn't been watching the man so closely. He frowned, "Show me where you're hurt yoi." he said.

Ace glared at him, "I'm not hurt."

"Show me or I will make you yoi." Marco said, not raising his voice. Ace stayed backed up against the wall, and made no move to let Marco help him, so Marco reached for him. Ace burst himself into flames where Marco touched him.

Instead of jumping back like most people Marco stayed where he was, and pulled Ace towards himself. Ace looked down and saw that Marco's hand was encased in blue flames. Instantly Ace pulled his flames back into himself, and wondered at the cool feeling of Marco's fire. It didn't burn him. He reached his hand up, and ran his fingers through the sapphire colored flames. They jumped and danced as he played with them. He couldn't feel the pain in his shoulder anymore.

Marco watched as Ace stared, transfixed, at his flames. He'd never seen anyone have this particular reaction to his fire before. Of course, his own reaction to Ace's fire wasn't normal either. Especially not for him, he wondered if it was the phoenix part of him that craved that heat, craved the feeling of that burning fire caressing him.

Neither man moved for a second, then Marco pulled away from Ace and pulled his fire back in. Ace made a noise of denial until he realized what he was doing. Marco had never seen anyone move so fast before. He watched as Ace jumped out of the crow's nest, and ignore the rigging, instead letting himself freefall before catching himself with his fire. He was gone as soon as his feet touched the deck.

Marco looked at the spot Ace had previously occupied. He had never felt a reaction to something that strongly before. He clenched his fist, and let the blue fire surround it. He'd have to be careful. He didn't need any attachments other than those he had to his brothers and Oyaji. Even as he thought that, he couldn't help but yearn for Ace's fire, or stop his eyes from searching for the boy.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Ace and Marco relationship at end. If you don't like it, don't read it.**

Ace stepped out of his cabin in the morning. He'd been unable to sleep, his thoughts circulating around Marco and his fire. It didn't help that the man was gorgeous. He groaned and rubbed his hands on his face. Thatch chose that moment to come up behind him and slap him on the back. Ace was across the deck before he realized what had happened to him. He looked around and spotted Thatch laughing his ass off, and glared at him, fire starting to leak across his shoulders, and down his arms. A cool hand on his shoulder stopped him before he could leap at Thatch. Ace looked back, and found himself looking into the eyes of Marco. His fire was gone in an instant. He felt his knees weaken as the blue flames caressed his shoulder. He wondered if that was intentional on Marco's part. Ace swallowed and tried not to reach for the cool fire.

Marco saw the struggle written all over Ace's face so he moved his hand. He heard the small sound of disappointment that Ace made. "Don't kill Thatch yoi. He's not so bad once you get to know him." Marco said quietly. He saw Ace's expression falter.

"I don't want to get to know him. I don't want to get to know you, any of you. I just want to kill Whitebeard and leave. I need to..." Ace trailed off, his voice barely a whisper. He looked so broken that Marco wanted to hug him. The urge made Marco jolt internally. He didn't show a sign of anything outwardly.

"Why yoi?" he asked, but the black haired man just shook his head, and hardened his eyes. He ran towards the captain's room. Marco sighed as he watched Ace be sent flying into the ocean. The other crew members just looked at him. Marco raised his eyebrow. The boy couldn't swim, so why were they all standing there. "Someone jump in and save him yoi. He can't swim." he stated. That sent the crewmembers scrambling.

Finally Ace was back on deck. He coughed and sputtered as he was finally able to breath again. His fire burst out quickly and dried his clothes. He saw Marco's hand quickly caress his fire, then pull away just as quickly, almost like he hadn't meant to do it.

Ace wasn't the only one who noticed, in the back of the crowd, a man with long black hair, who was dressed in a kimono, smiled. Thatch saw Izou smile, and felt a shiver run through him. That was Izou's matchmaking smile, also known as his 'I'm plotting something, and nothing can stop me, especially if it's something I think is best for my brothers.' look. He felt sorry for whoever it was aimed at.

Marco glanced around himself, and realized that no one was doing anything, "Get back to work yoi." he said. The crowd instantly dispersed leaving only him, Ace, Thatch, and his brother Izou. Ace looked at the man in the kimono. He'd never seen him before. He looked at Marco in question. Marco caught the look and gestured at Izou, "This is Izou, commander of fourteenth division yoi." he said. Ace nodded, he stepped closer to Marco because he didn't like the way Izou was looking at him. He just as quickly stepped away once he realized what he'd done. For the second that he'd been by him, Marco had felt the heat radiating from Ace press against his body, even though the kid hadn't actually touched him. He could feel his fire trying to reach for Ace, and wondered if Ace's fire was trying to reach for him in return. From the uncomfortable look on Ace's face, Marco guessed that there was an extremely high chance of that being the case.

Izou watched them, and suppressed a giggle. He excused himself, and walked quickly to Oyaji's room. He knocked, and waited for the loud voice calling him in. He danced into the room and grinned. "Hey Oyaji." he started, then lay out what he knew of Marco, and Ace, and his plan for them. Whitebeard grinned, this would be fun.

Thatch watched Izou go, then turned back to where the two men staring awkwardly at each other. He blanched, he really didn't want to think of his oldest, and closest, brother getting it on with a man, not even one as pretty as Ace was. "Hey Marco. We should get back to what we were doing." he said. He swore he saw Marco jump, almost like he'd forgotten he was there.

Marco slid a bored look over at Thatch and frowned a bit, "I am doing what I'm supposed to yoi. You should go cook though." he said. He looked around, and blinked. He wondered when Izou had left. He watched as Thatch walked back to the kitchen, looking dejected. Marco just raised an eyebrow.

Ace saw that Marco was distracted, and quickly snuck away. He figured it was pointless if Marco really wanted to talk to him, but he'd try anyway. He snuck into the ship, and all the way down into the cargo hold. It was a bit musty, but it was nice and cool. He did well in colder temperatures because he was fire. He sat behind a box, all the way back in a dark corner, and started plotting.

Marco found him down there few hours later. The kid had been not eating, so Marco had brought him some food. He walked quietly as he didn't want Ace to bolt away before he could block the way. That was his plan anyway, but it was forgotten when Ace came in his sights. He'd expected the man to be down in the hold plotting, not making pictures with his fire, telling himself stories in quiet whispers. A young boy with a crescent scar under his left eye was depicted in the flames, as well as a younger looking ace. A third boy made of fire wearing a top hat appeared to be laughing and pointing at the other two. Marco realized that they were memories.

He quickly made his footsteps louder so that Ace would hear him. Ace's head shot up, and he looked like he was about to bolt until he saw it was Marco. He still looked leery, until he saw the food that Marco was holding. He shuffled a little closer to the wall, but stayed where he was. Marco could almost see him drooling. He smiled lazily, "I thought you might be hungry yoi." he said, and held the plate out to Ace.

Ace looked Marco in the eyes as he slowly reached for the plate. Marco held still, feeling almost as though he was dealing with a wild animal. Ace grabbed the plate and pulled it close to himself. He started to devour the food, pausing briefly when Marco sat beside him, and leaned back against the wall. Ace finished eating and put the plate down beside him. He turned to Marco, "Will you show me your fire?" he asked. He had been avoiding it since he'd run down into the cargo hold, but with Marco sitting so close to him, he had to ask. He wanted to see it so bad, it felt like an urgent need.

Marco turned to the black haired man, and saw the need in his eyes. Marco nodded, "In return, tell me a story with your fire yoi." he said. Ace nodded quickly. Anything, he would give anything to see the blue fire that was calling to him. Marco held out a hand towards Ace, and let his fire out. Blue light danced around them, shimmering in time with the flickering of the flames. Ace scooted closer to Marco, and reached his hand out to touch the fire. Marco's fire caressed him, sending shivers through his body, and heat pooling in the pit of his stomach. He felt his breath catch as Marco moved his hand to touch Ace's face.

Marco swallowed hard when Ace's face pressed into his hand, his flames caressing over Ace's soft skin. Marco lowered his lashes over his eyes, the feeling welling up in him was incredible, and terrifying. He opened his eyes, and found himself gazing into Ace's. He swallowed, and ran his tongue over his suddenly dry lips. Aces eyes flickered down to watch before returning to Marco's eyes. Marco let his flames creep all over his body so that he was covered in them, but not yet turned into a phoenix. Next thing he knew, Ace was in his arms, pressed against his body, feeling the fire on him. Ace's fire sprung out in response. The flames crackled with heat. Marco wrapped his arms around Ace, and pulled Ace closer.

Marco's heart was pounding, but he couldn't let go. Ace moved closer, and Marco could feel his breath ghosting over his lips. Their fires danced around them, between them, mixing together, and pulling them closer. Ace's lips brushed against Marco's. Low moans sounded in their throats. Marco ran his tongue over Ace's, begging for entrance. Ace opened his mouth and Marco's tongue swept in mapping his mouth. Ace tasted of cinnamon and cloves, it was a hot and spicy taste that Marco thought fit him perfectly. In contrast, Marco tasted like mint and lemon to Ace. Ace moved his tongue against Marco's, and wrapped his arms around the blonde's neck. Ace moaned, and rubbed his tongue against Marco's. He could feel himself getting hard, even as Marco was getting hard beneath him. Their flames touching, and stroking each other was pleasurable, and was bringing them closer to completion. Marco pulled away for air, and moaned, "A-ace. Pull back your fire yoi. If you don't we'll have to walk through the ship in dirty, wet clothes yoi." he said as he pulled his own fire in. Ace nodded, and did as he was told. He slumped against Marco, panting from the effort it had taken. Marco wasn't in any better condition. They lay there until their hearts calmed down, then Ace slid off of Marco's lap, and turned so that his back was against the wall.

They were both silent for a while, then Ace spoke up, "I owe you a story." he said.

Marco smiled at him before standing up, "Yeah, but lets do story time in my room, it's musty down here yoi." he said. Ace nodded, and got up and followed the blonde man, who had started walking away.


	3. Chapter 3

Marco's room was a fair size for a ship, and it was neat. A desk in the corner was organized, with all the paperwork tied down so as not to roll off during turbulence of the sea. A nice looking bed was in the other corner of the room, leaving the central area open. Marco motioned for Ace to sit on the bed. Ace did as he was bid, then waited for Marco to sit beside him. Once Marco was situated Ace brought out his fire and started his story.

"Once upon a time, in a land not so distant from here, there lived a wolf. This wolf was a special wolf, for every night the wolf turned into a beautiful woman." Marco watched as Ace's fire formed a magnificent wolf, only to turn into a gorgeous woman. "Long before the start of our story, the wolf had been only a woman, but, as is want to happen in tales such as this, the woman was cursed by a witch who was jealous of the woman's beauty." An ugly old crone jumped out of the fire, silently cackling as she cast a spell at the beautiful woman. "One might wonder why the witch was so jealous. The answer is quite simple. The witch had once been beautiful too. When she had been young, she had been hailed as the most beautiful woman in all the world. Then she grew old, the ticking minute hand of the clock slowly stole her beauty, and faded it into what she was." The flames shifted again showing a different woman who was beautiful, but her face slowly changed as a fiery clock face changed time, the minute and hour hands spinning rapidly around it.

"In this way the woman became a wolf during the day, and so she lived for one hundred and ninety-nine years in this way, the curse stopping her from aging. The witch had long since died, and her memory was forgotten. Each day she howled, and every night she wept. Her pain-filled tears falling in such volume that they turned into a river that flowed from where she sat in an old forest where no one ever traveled, and out all the way to the sea." The fire images changed with Ace's story telling, drawing Marco in. He had his head in Ace's lap as he listened to the story unfold.

"People from all over the country stayed out of the forest, for it was thought to be haunted. The wails of grief were thought to be the cries of those who had died in the forest." The flames showed people's faces, their expressions showing terror. "One day, a young man entered the forest via the river. It had been his dream to find out where the river came from. He'd had that dream since he was a child. As his boat passed under the eaves of the forest he could hear the howling. It did not frighten him as it did others. To him, it sounded incredibly sorrowful. He paddled onward." The fire showed a dashing young man paddling a canoe beneath old, gnarled branches. It was beautiful, but creepy. Something about this story was giving Marco goose bumps.

"Deeper in the forest, where the river began, sat the wolf, howling her heart out. She was weary of life. She was lonely, and had only vague memories to keep her sane as her eternity drug on." The flames showed a wolf with a small dance of tiny human figures above it's head, but the figures were slowly disappearing. Marco's eyes widened as he realized what was happening, a small sound of denial broke his lips, before he could stop it. One of Ace's hands moved down to caress his hair in a comforting manner as he continued on with his story.

"And so the two were on a course to meet, but the forest, as old and beautiful as it was, was not willing to give up the woman. It was an old forest, that had long been imbued with magic, and it had fallen in love with the woman. To be more specific, the spirit of the forest had fallen in love with her." the flames again changed showing a handsome man step out of a tree and watch the woman as she cried, a look of longing on his face. "Alas, she could not see him, for though she was cursed, she was yet a normal human, with no second sight." A feeling of dread settled in Marco's stomach.

"The spirit could see the handsome man approaching the woman, and knew that he would see her after she had become human again. He was jealous. He knew that she would be able to see the man, and that she would leave the forest if the curse was broken. He resolved to kill the young man. He would let no one take her from him. So he crept silently from tree to tree until he was alongside the man. He decided to kill the youth quickly, as he had no true grudge against the human. So he felled the tree he was in so that it would fall on the man, killing him." Marco watched as the picture showed the spirit give the tree a shove, and watched as it fell towards the unsuspecting young man.

"The young man saw it falling towards him, and he jumped into the river to avoid certain death. The spirit saw this and was angered. How dare he avoid it? It would have been painless! So the spirit decided to drown the man, and he sent up roots to wrap around the man's legs, and drag him down. The man cried out just as the water closed over his head, his cry sounded out, carrying deep into the forest to where the wolf sat howling. She stopped as the cry for help reached her. She had not heard a human in almost two hundred years. She quickly got up and ran towards the sound, but she was quite a ways away." The fire showed the man drowning, and a wolf running towards him, but rocks, and roots kept springing up in front of her, tripping her up, slowing her down. Marco was outraged, he could already see the story unfold in his mind.

"She ran as fast as she could, despite obstacles that appeared before her. Alas, as she reached the man, and looked down into the water at him, only sightless eyes stared back. She felt her heart break as the only human she'd seen in so long lay dead , his fingers just inches from the water's surface. A vicious scream tore from the wolf's throat, and she turned and ran away. The spirit followed her, trying to catch her, but he could not touch her, and tree roots could offer no comfort. He watched as she ran to a high cliff in the middle of his forest, and dread filled his heart. He tried desperately to stop her as she ran to the very edge of the cliff. Just as she reached it, the sun set, and she turned into a woman again. The set sun marked her two hundredth year cursed. She looked out from the cliff and saw only forest all around her, and she spoke, for the first time since first she was cursed, 'Two hundred years I have waited to see another human, for hope that then the curse would break, and I would be free. I am tired. I think that after two hundred years of being a wolf, chained to the ground, I should like to fly.' and then she stepped off the cliff, and the spirit could only watch as she plummeted to her death. He rushed through the trees and moved to her body." Marco couldn't breath as he watched it all unfold in the fire that danced above him.

"As the spirit approached her body, he cried, for the woman, in death, was finally smiling." Ace pulled in his flames as he finished his story. He could feel tears fall down his cheeks. This story always made him cry. He could understand the need to fly, the need to be free. He could, even now, feel the shackles binding him to the ground.

Marco looked up and saw Ace's tears. He reached up and grasped Ace's head carefully, and pulled it down towards him, and lightly kissed him. He could feel the tears hitting his face as sobs wracked the boy's body, so he held him tighter, wanting, needing more, and Ace responded.


	4. Chapter 4

Ace had fallen asleep, and left Marco to thinking about the story. He wondered why Ace had told a story that obviously hurt him. He frowned as he held the sleeping boy. There was something hidden deep within this kid, something that made him feel the need to attack Oyaji, something that made him feel the need to tell this story that made him cry. Marco heard Ace whimper, and let some of his fire out to sooth the kid. Damn it all. He hadn't been this frustrated by anything in his entire life! And not all of it was sexual either. He wanted to know why he was drawn to the fire. He wanted to know about Ace. He wanted to hold the kid, and never let him go. He wanted to make love with the kid until all of the shadows were out of his gorgeous eyes.

He sighed. It was ridiculous. He was pretty sure that he was falling in love with Ace. He hoped that the kid accepted Oyaji's mark, and soon. He wanted Ace, wanted him more than anything. He'd never felt this way before. Love was a foreign concept to him. Sure he'd been with people, both men and women, but he'd never loved any of them. Not like this. Never this intense, this thorough. It was all encompassing, as though it were swallowing him whole. He felt like he was on the edge of a cliff with no bottom in sight. He nuzzled his nose into Ace's silky black hair, and thought back to before Ace had fallen asleep.

They'd been in ecstasy. Never had someone's hands on his body felt so good. The kid had damn near made him cum just from his hands running over his chest. The feeling of Ace's tongue in his mouth, caressing him, had been more than his brain could handle. It had short circuited. Before he'd known what was happening, Ace had been flipped on his back, and their clothes had been gone, two fingers stretching Ace out. His rational mind had surfaced for a second before Ace's breathy pleas for more had Marco in overdrive. The kid knew what he was doing, that was for damn sure. He'd never had a lover that positioned him at their entrance before. Ace had been a seductress, his flames caressing Marco's body, pleasuring him everywhere at once, eliciting a response from the Phoenix.

Inside of Ace had been heaven, and hell. He was tight and glorious, and scorching hot. He'd thrust long and slow inside Ace, until Ace's impatience had him hooking his legs around Marco's waist, forcing him to slam into him, hard and deep. Marco had snapped and set a brutal pace, thrusting into the younger man, hitting his prostate dead on with every thrust. He'd never had a male partner who enjoyed being the bottom so much. He'd gotten so much pleasure just from the fact that Ace was enjoying himself. When they'd cum, Marco swore they shattered apart only to be put together as one rather than two separate beings.

Now, he felt like he would never be able to rid himself of Ace, and he found that he didn't want to.

Sighing Marco sat up, his thoughts were going round and round, and now he was hard again, and just damn it! He was supposed to be the calm one! The one who was never phased by anything! Then out of nowhere this brat comes along, and steals his cool. Marco rubbed a hand over his face, the only outward sign of his internal struggle. He didn't notice Ace wake up and watch him. He jumped when Ace spoke, "Are you regretting it?" he asked.

Marco turned to face his bed partner, god, he'd just fucked a teenager. If he ever died he was pretty sure he was going to hell. "No. Never. Not with you yoi." Marco said laying back down next to Ace, and pulling him into his arms. He pressed a kiss to Ace's slightly swollen lips.

Ace opened up to him, allowing him entrance. He couldn't explain what he was feeling. The only feeling he'd had that was even close, was what he felt for Luffy, and that sure as hell wasn't anything like this. He felt Marco's hard length press against his thigh, and he felt himself getting hard again. A flash of blue lit the dark room as Marco let his fire out. Ace pressed his body closer to Marco's, loving the feeling of all that hard muscle against his own.

He felt Marco's hand slide down his back, and slip between his cheeks, a blunt finger sliding into him, the cum in his ass acting as a lubricant. He moaned, and thrust back. Ace's fire flared out as pleasure coursed through him. Marco was magic, Ace was sure of it. He'd never enjoyed bottoming this much before.

Suddenly Marco stroked his hand down over Ace's abs, causing Ace to go boneless. Soft moans filled the room as skin slid against skin. In the dark Ace couldn't tell where he ended and Marco began. Tears slid silently out of his eyes, and down he cheeks. Marco must have seen because he brushed soft kisses over the tear tracks. "Am I hurting you yoi?" he asked.

Ace shook his head, "No. I just feel... happy. I feel cared for, for the first time in my life I don't feel like a burden." he said.

Marco looked at him in surprise, then gathered him up into his arms, and held him close. "You are needed. I need you, I care for you." he said. "You are not a burden Ace. I'm sure there is someone else who needs you too. You are loved Ace, don't forget it." Marco said. He rolled them over so that Ace was on top of him, held securely in Marco's arms. Hot tears dropped on his chest as Ace cried. The fact that Ace cried without a sound broke his heart.

"My brother..." Ace mumbled.

"Hm?" Marco asked, started as the silence was broken.

"My brother loves and needs me. Luffy. He's clumsy, and gets eaten by animals a lot, and never thinks before he reacts, but he is kind, and genuine. He needs me." Ace elaborated.

Marco smiled at the black haired teen above him, "Sounds interesting." he said. Ace nodded, and dried his tears, then he slid down Marco's body.

"He is, but you know what sounds interesting to me?" he asked, then proceeded to show Marco with his hands, mouth, and body.


	5. Chapter 5

Ace sat out on the deck of the Moby Dick, his back to the crew. He was on the whale figure head of the boat. He'd been thinking of the past few days with Marco. They'd settled into a routine, which was broken only when Marco was on watch. He'd fallen in love with the damn blonde, but he felt like he was living a lie. He hadn't told him the most important thing about himself. Even after Marco had told him why they called Whitebeard Oyaji. He sighed, and placed his head on his hand. He hadn't been trying to kill the old man for a while.

He lay down and thought about his brother. Luffy... He wouldn't want him to throw away his life when he could have a family, would he? Thinking about Luffy made him think about how he had accepted him unconditionally, even after learning of his father. Ace stood up. He gathered his courage, and walked to Whitebeard's room. He felt the eyes of the crew on him, could feel Marco's eyes on him. He didn't look back, he knew that if he did he would find love there, but he wasn't ready to see it.

Instead he knocked on Whitebeard's door, and prepared to face the man he had been attempting to murder. "Come in." boomed the man's voice, and Ace entered quietly. "How can I help you brat?" he asked, his eyes kind, but his voice sharp.

Ace swallowed, and stuck his courage to his sticking place, "What would you say if Gol D Roger had a kid?" he asked.

Whitebeard looked at the teen in front of him, the teen that had made his first mate take the fall for the first time in his life. Then he answered, "I would say that the father does not make the child, and that the child would be lucky to have such a kind, and great father, even though he didn't know him." he said.

Ace looked away, "How can you say that? Everyone else said that if that were to happen, then the kid should be killed. That it would be no better than a rabid dog. Some men even told me what they'd do to the kid if they were the one to find it." he said.

Whitebeard realized what had happened, and it broke his heart. "Those were not men. They were not even people. They were fools, and cruel. Even though they didn't know that they were talking to Roger's son." he said. Ace looked up, and opened his mouth, but Whitebeard continued, "I was not expecting you to tell me that when you walked in here. So tell me son, what do you intend to do now? You are always welcome here." he said.

Ace looked down, "Weren't you two enemies?" he asked quietly, "Why would you invite your enemy's son on board to join your crew, a son that had tried to kill you?"

Whitebeard didn't hesitate to answer, "As I said before, the father does not make the son, besides, Roger and I were not enemies, we were rivals. He was a good man. Kind, took care of his crew, and was out here for the shear joy of it. So, it isn't an enemy's son who I am asking to be my son. It is a man I respected above all others, and was content to call my king." he said.

Ace started crying, "I'd like to join your crew Oyaji." he said.

Whitebeard smiled, and beckoned him closer before pulling him into a huge hug, "I would be honored to have you in my crew son." he said, "Welcome to the family." he released him, "Now go, I know someone who is probably very worried that you've been killed, or succeeded in killing me." Ace started walking away, "He loves you, you know. He will accept every part of you. Don't be afraid to love." Whitebeard said just before Ace opened the door.

Ace didn't respond, just stood taller, and walked out the door. He found Marco's eyes, and smiled at him. Before Marco could register the smile, Ace had turned into fire, and flew over to him. Marco's blue flames erupted, pulling Ace into his embrace. Ace grinned, "Does this mean, that this is now incest?" he asked, and Marco's eyes widened before he laughed out loud, and pulled him into a kiss.

"God I hope not." Marco said when he came up for air. Ace kissed him again. He would tell Marco, and trust him to still love him, but for now, at this moment, this was enough.


	6. A short note Please read

Let me know if I should do a sequel at some point. If no one wants one, I will never write one. Thought you should know.

 **A/N: Sequel is now up. It is called 'Coming Clean'.**


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